Description
This pineapple jerk chicken bake brings together sweet heat in one easy oven-ready dish that you simply season, combine with caramelized pineapple, and let the oven do the work. Spicy jerk spices meet fruity pineapple juice while your chicken stays tender, creating flavors that satisfy when you’re craving something with a kick and a touch of tropical sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein Base:
- 3 to 4 pounds chicken (drumsticks, wings, or thighs)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons jerk dry rub seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
Sauce Components:
- 3 Scotch bonnet peppers
- 1 handful scallions (green onions)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pineapple chunks
- 2 tablespoons pimento seeds
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish:
- Pineapple chunks
- Your favorite homemade BBQ sauce
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Chopped scallions (green onions)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse 3 to 4 pounds of chicken drumsticks, wings, or thighs under cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of jerk dry rub seasoning evenly across your chicken pieces and rub it in thoroughly so each part gets coated.
- Let your seasoned chicken sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate it overnight if you have the time for deeper flavor development.
- Heat your oven to 375°F and lightly coat a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
- Combine 3 Scotch bonnet peppers, ½ red onion chopped, 4 garlic cloves, 1 handful of scallions, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger, ¼ cup pineapple chunks, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 peeled and chopped carrot, and 2 tablespoons pimento seeds in a blender.
- Blend everything on high speed until your sauce reaches a smooth consistency with no chunks remaining.
- Pour the blended sauce over your marinated chicken and massage it into each piece until completely covered.
- Arrange your sauced chicken in a single layer inside the prepared baking dish and cover it tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part.
- Carefully drain the excess sauce from the baking dish into a separate bowl and set it aside for later.
- Return your chicken to the oven uncovered and bake at 375°F for 5 more minutes to let the surface develop color.
- If you prefer extra richness, mix 1 to 2 cups of your favorite homemade BBQ sauce with the reserved jerk sauce in a bowl.
- Spoon or brush the BBQ jerk glaze over your chicken, scatter additional pineapple chunks around the pieces, and bake uncovered at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce caramelizes and clings to the chicken.
- Top your finished dish with fresh thyme sprigs, chopped scallions, and lime wedges if desired, then serve alongside warm bread or rice.
Notes
- Marinate your chicken overnight in the refrigerator when possible, as this gives the jerk seasoning time to penetrate deeper and develop more complex flavors.
- Blend your pineapple jerk sauce until completely smooth so the flavors distribute evenly and coat each piece of chicken thoroughly during baking.
- Remove the foil partway through baking to let the chicken skin brown slightly and the sauce begin caramelizing for better texture and depth.
- If the sauce seems too thick after blending, thin it with a bit more water so it coats and clings to the chicken rather than sitting pooled at the bottom of the dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes-1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 195 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg